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Thai Army Declares Coup, Citing Need to ‘Reform’ Nation Thai Army Declares Coup, Citing Need to ‘Reform’ Nation
(about 1 hour later)
BANGKOK — The Thai military on Thursday launched a coup, declaring that it was “necessary to seize power.” The head of the Thai Army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, made the announcement on television flanked by senior military officers. BANGKOK — Two days after declaring martial law the Thai military on Thursday seized full control of the country, the second time in a decade that the army has overthrown an elected government.
The Thai news media reported that political officers who were attending a meeting called by the military had been detained. The military, which had invited political leaders Thursday for a second day of talks on how to resolve the country’s political deadlock detained the meeting participants instead. The head of the army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha then announced the coup on national television, saying it was “necessary to seize power.”
The coup came after the introduction of martial law on Tuesday and follows a long history of coups in Thailand. Mr. Prayuth said the coup was launched “in order to bring the situation back to normal quickly” and to “reform the political structure, the economy and the society.”
General Prayuth said the coup was launched “in order to bring the situation back to normal quickly.” The coup, he said, was intended to “reform the political structure, the economy and the society.” Six months of debilitating protests in Thailand have centered on whether to hold elections. The governing party dissolved Parliament in December in an attempt to defuse the crisis and set the election for February. The opposition Democrat Party, which has not won a national election since 1992, refused to take part. Protesters called for an appointed prime minister and blockaded polling stations, leading to a court ruling that the election was unconstitutional.
The last coup in Thailand was in 2006 and had been followed by more than a year of military rule. The country’s democracy was in deadlock.
Thousands of protesters were on the streets when General Prayuth made his announcement. General Prayuth made the coup announcement Thursday flanked by senior military officers.
“The national peacekeeping committee,” he said, referring to the military, “will worship and protect the monarchy.” Supporters of the former government of Yingluck Shiniwatra, a group known as red shirts, who were holding a demonstration Thursday on the outskirts of Bangkok, were dispersed by soldiers in black masks. The Thai media reported that their leaders were arrested.
Thailand’s king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, is 86 years old and ailing. He has been on the throne for more than 60 years. The last coup in Thailand was in 2006 and was followed by more than a year of military rule.
The Thai government has been paralyzed by protests for the last six months. Thousands of antigovernment protesters remained on the streets at dusk but leaders warned the crowds that the military was on its way. “The military is coming but do not panic,” said Samran Rodpetch, a protest leader.
Protesters have sought to eradicate the country’s most powerful political family, the Shinawatras. The country’s politics have been turbulent since 2006, when the military removed Thaksin Shinawatra, the patriarch of the family, who founded a populist movement that has won every election since 2001. In Thailand’s turbulent political history, the king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, has on at least one occasion helped resolve political disputes. But he is 86 years old and ailing.
Mr. Thaksin, whose power base was in the provinces, challenged the power of the Bangkok establishment, a conflict that has been one of the roots of eight years of political turmoil in the country. General Prayuth said in his announcement that the king was “above the entire conflict.”
General Prayuth did not mention anything about elections in his announcement. Elections in February were boycotted by the opposition and blocked by protesters. The coup announcement was made after the Thai stock market was closed. The military “will protect and worship the monarchy,” he said.
General Prayuth referred to the people staging the coup as the “The national peacekeeping committee.”
Antigovernment demonstrators have sought to eradicate the country’s most powerful political family, the Shinawatras. The country’s politics have been turbulent since 2006, when the military removed Thaksin Shinawatra, the patriarch of the family, who founded a populist movement that has won every election since 2001.
Mr. Thaksin, whose power base was in the provinces, challenged the power of the Bangkok establishment, a clash that was at the root of the conflict. Mr. Thanks lives overseas but remains very influential in Thai politics.
The coup announcement was made after the Thai stock market was closed.